PLAINS TWP. - U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, D-St. Clair, lent an ear Friday to the management at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and said he planned to take several of their concerns back to Congress.

"People are concerned about the economy â¦ but, at the same time, we can't neglect our veterans," Holden said.

A longtime supporter of increased benefits for veterans, Holden decided to visit the medical center to hear a presentation on its accomplishments and concerns. He also took a 90-minute tour to better understand how it operates.

Joe Clausius, 61, an Army veteran who served in Germany from 1968-1970, recognized Holden when he stepped inside the medical center. As a Tamaqua resident, he said he voted for Holden in the last election and appreciated the visit.

"I think he's trying," Clausius said. "You know, a lot of people in politics talk a good game but they don't play one. But I'm pretty sure he's trying."

One of the main issues Holden wished to further discuss with the U.S. House involved bonuses. Congress has placed a cap on recruitment, retention and relocation financial incentives given to VA physicians and nurses, and Holden worried that could fail to attract or retain a quality staff.

"It could have an impact on our ability to recruit hard-to-find specialists," VA Public Affairs Officer Vincent Riccardo said.

To pay for increased veterans benefits or higher VA staff incentives, Holden acknowledged cuts needed to be made in other areas of government. "It needs to be a shared sacrifice," he said. But, he added, veterans have sacrificed enough and their benefits should not be on the cutting-room floor.

The 10-term congressman said he instead favors raising taxes on the top 1 or 2 percent of the country's earners. He hoped that could also finance a highway bill, currently his top priority.

"That would be a shot in the arm to the local economy," Holden said. "Of every billion you invest in infrastructure, you create 47,000 jobs. The last time we did a highway bill we were able to get the commonwealth an excess of $10 billion. Do the math."

The congressman has visited Wilkes-Barre and surrounding areas several times since the 17th District was changed late last year to include parts of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties including Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Pittston and Carbondale. Overlooking Route 309 on the 11th floor of the medical center, Holden - who grew up in St. Clair in Schuylkill County - said he felt at home in Wilkes-Barre.

"Schuylkill, Luzerne, Lackawanna and Carbon have a heritage that is similar and very much in common, whether it's our coal region history, our railroad history or our labor history," he said, adding his home county has less in common with three other counties (Lebanon, Perry and Dauphin) already in his district.

jmoyer@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2052

SOPA BACKTRACK

U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, D-St. Clair, initially co-sponsored H.R. 3261 - popularly referred to as SOPA, or the Stop Online Piracy Act - and spoke Friday about his decision to withdraw his support for the bill.

"It was brought to my attention as a law-enforcement tool to stop piracy on the Internet and that the Justice Department was in favor," he said. "Obviously, it was proposed and the public reacted and said it was limiting free speech. And when it was brought to my attention that way, me and several other members of Congress withdrew our support for it.

"It was totally sold to me as a tool for law enforcement to stop piracy and protect intellectual property rights. And when I saw the other side of the story, I realized there needed to be further negotiations between the entertainment industry and the tech industry."

Holden was one of eight co-sponsors (out of 31) to withdraw support for the bill.

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